Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Keith Richards-produced Aaron Neville album: more details on songs and musicians...

Keith Richards-produced Aaron Neville album: more details on songs and musicians

The doo-wop album that Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards produced for Aaron Neville is due out sometime in the autumn of 2012, Blue Note Records has announced. Richards also plays guitar on the album, whose title is to be announced. As previously reported, Richards and longtime Rolling Stone producer Don Was (who is president of Blue Note) worked with Neville on the album.
According to Blue Note, the album is "a collection of classic material from the doo-wop era" that was "hand-picked by Neville."
Richards commented in a press release: "This was a dream session. The band fell right into the groove and Aaron sang like an angel. It was an honor!"
Blue Note's Was, who is one of the album's producers, added: “Aaron Neville is one of the most expressive and soulful artists of all time...it's such a thrill to hear him sing. His vocals have a way of reaching into your heart and stirring something really deep inside. It's a huge honor to welcome him to Blue Note Records and to be involved, along with the legendary Keith Richards, in the production of this album.”
Neville stated: “When I was a kid, doo-wop was like medicine to me. I didn’t care what else was goin’ on in the world as long as I could sing along with Pookie Hudson and The Spaniels, The Flamingos, The Clovers, Sonny Til and The Orioles, Clyde McPhatter — I was like a kid in a candy store.”
Other muscians who are featured on the album include guitarist Greg Leisz (who has worked with Beck, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan and Ryan Adams); organist/keyboardist Benmont Tench (he is a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers); dummer George G. Receli (who has worked with Dylan and James Brown); and bass player Tony Scherr (who has worked with Bill Frisell, Norah Jones and Rufus Wainwright).
Blue Note president Was has been working with the Rolling Stones as a producer since the Rolling Stones' 1994 album "Voodoo Lounge."
Richards has been a longtime music producer. He and Mick Jagger have produced several Rolling Stones songs under the name the Glimmer Twins. Richards has also produced his own solo music, as well as music from Aretha Franklin, Ronnie Spector, Johnnie Johnson and reggae band Wingless Angels.
Besides working on Neville's doo-wop album, Richards has another connection to Aaron Neville: Aaron Neville's keyboard-playing son Ivan Neville is a longtime member of the X-Pensive Winos, the band that Richards works with for Richards' solo career.
The Aaron Neville Quintet is launching a U.S. tour on June 23, 2012. Here are the tour dates announced so far:
June 23, 2012: Greensboro, NC - Carolina Theatre
June 24, 2012: Norfolk, VA - 23rd Annual Bayoo Boogaloo
June 26, 2012: Charlottesville, VA - Paramount Theatre
June 28, 2012: New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
June 30, 2012: Beverly, MA - North Shore Music Theatre
July 13, 2012: Park City, UT - Big Stars, Bright Nights
July 14, 2012: Boulder, CO - Chautauqua Auditorium
July 15, 2012: Arvada, CO - Arvada Center Amphitheater
August 4, 2012: Charleston, WV - Multi-Fest WV
August 5, 2012: Washington, DC - The Howard Theatre
August 7, 2012: Ponte Vedra, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
August 8, 2012: Orlando, FL - The Plaza Theatre Live
August 10, 2012: Mobile, AL - Saenger Theatre
August 11, 2012: Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Botanical Gardens